The present invention is concerned with a process of testing the operability of the components of a system in an automotive vehicle, with the system comprising at least one software-operated controller that can be connected to an input station, with software being uploaded through the input station in the controller and with a test software being uploaded through the input station in the controller prior to checking for operability of the components of the system.
Applicant is aware of a process of this type, wherein both the operating software for controlling or regulating the system and a testing software are permanently installed in the controller by way of which the components of the system are checked for correct assembly and operability of the components. A process of this type is employed, for example, in connection with an anti-locking control in a brake system of an automotive vehicle.
It is the object of the present invention to carry out the check for operability of the components of a system without requiring any substantial changes in the system, at the same time involving minimal storage capacity requirements.
In the practice of the invention, this problem is solved by a process of the afore-mentioned type which is characterized in that after the check having been completed, the operating software by which the system is controlled and/or regulated is uploaded from an input station to the controller.
According to the process of the invention the test software can be readily adapted to changes in the system. While according to the state of art it has been necessary to completely change the controller because the software has been installed therein with no modifying option, the software according to the process of the invention can be changed and, through the input station, can be uploaded in the corresponding controller once the test software is required. Hence, only the test software is to be installed in the respective input stations, with the input stations being needed, for example, at the end of the production process for testing the components of the system, or in workshops to perform checks for operability of the components of the system at predetermined time intervalsxe2x80x94in response to time or on the basis of the mileage covered from the previous test or on the basis of an error otherwise detected but not yet identified in any detail.
Hence, in the process according to the invention, after completion of the check, the test software is replaced by the operating software, thereby minimizing general storage capacity (i.e. digital memory) requirements. It has proved to be advantageous that, during testing, the operating software is not installed in the controller; rather, it is installed only after the test software has completed its testing so that the full storage capacity of the control unit will be dedicated to the test software during testing.
In an advantageous embodiment according to the process of claim 2, uploading of the test software is automatically effected after a connection between controller and input station having been established. Once the controller is connected to the input station, as a rule, a check for operability of the components of the system is to be effected. Handling and completion of the test is particularly easy if uploading of the test software takes place automatically, with the test also starting automatically after uploading of the test software.
According to another advantageous embodiment of the process of claim 3 system-specific data is transmitted to the input station. Such system-specific data can, for example, be a version number of the control unit and/or information on the components integrated into the system. The test software corresponding to the system-specific data is then uploaded from the input station, it being possible to store in the input station several test programs corresponding to a variety of possible system-specific data so that the corresponding test software is then selected in the input station.
Also it will be possible for the system-specific data in the input station to be so evaluated that based on the components identified on the basis of the system-specific data predetermined nominal values and tolerances are correspondingly determined in a Table and are uploaded as part of the test software from the input station in the controller.
Alternatively, the test software with respect to some test steps can be adapted accordingly.
If all versions of the operating software that can occur on the basis of system configurations and components employed are installed in the input station, the operating software in the controller can be canceled prior to uploading the test software in the controller.
However, also it is possible to reload the operating software from the controller in the input station for temporary storage.
Moreover, the measures of the invention permit a simple adaptation to changes in the operating software if no temporary storage of the operating software in the input station is effected to subsequently upload the same software again in the controller.
The correspondingly changed operating software is then installed in the input stations of the individual workshops. The vehicles are then subjected, bit by bit, to a check for operability of the components of their systems. After completion of the check, the operability of the components of their systems. After completion of the check, the correspondingly changed operating software is respectively uploaded in the controllers of the individual automotive vehicles. Consequently, an adaptation to the changed operating software is effected, bit by bit, in all vehicles with no need for exchanging the control units in the automotive vehicles.
Similarly, it can be taken into consideration in the manufacture of automotive vehicles that different vehicle types require different operating software. Hence, in the manufacture of automotive vehicles it will not be necessary to keep in stock different control units.
According to the process of claim 5, after completion of the test the operating software is automatically uploaded or loaded back, again insuring easy handling in carrying out the test.
According to the process of claim 5, the operating software will be uploaded only if the check has resulted in that the system does not contain an error. Once an error has been detected, it must first be rectified. A control unit with no operating software can be treated as a defective system; this means that a corresponding warning lamp is actuated. After the error having been rectified it is feasible to re-check the components to insure that there is no other error. Time can be saved if no test software or operating software is to be reloaded.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the process set out in claim 6, system-specific data is transmitted to the input station. Then the operating software corresponding to the system-specific data is uploaded from the input station. An update of the operating software can be easily realized even if different operating software
According to another embodiment of the process of claim 8 a data storage unit is provided in the controller in which data is stored during or after completion of the test process, thereby enabling, for example, on the basis of the date of manufacture or test site number, that statistical data on the quality rate, the number of error corrections during service be collected or even a non-failure statement be made.
In the embodiment according to the process of claim 8 it has proved advantageous that the data storage unit is a non-volatile data storage so that the information remains stored therein even if the board battery of the automotive vehicle is disconnected. In particular, it has been found in respect of evaluations over an extended period of time that no information can get lost.
According to the embodiment of the process of claim 9, depending on the tolerances of the various components, sensors or other units determined during the check, such parameters are stored in the controller on which the operating software can rely and by means of which an optimum adaptation to all components can individually be effected during operation.
This will readily permit not only easy identification and correction of errors but also rectification of deviations that are within predetermined tolerances not yet forming errors but being likely to affect the function of the whole system.
According to an embodiment of the process of claim 10 all tests performed will be documented. The advantage involved resides in that the test process as a whole can be traced and documented over an extended period of time.